Who Said Fatherhood Came Easy?
by Sky Warden
Summary: “The cries of an infant for his mother in the dead of the night. A rude wake up call, in the form of his 2 month old son and heir – Draco Icarus Malfoy.” A look at how having a new baby in the house is suiting the house of Malfoy, in particular the father


**A/N:** well I know not many people read these, (well I certainly don't), but just for the sake of tradition; Hi everyone! I wrote this fic so read it please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please! (Like that is a real reason)

If you want to read it, then go ahead, and if you want to review I'll be delighted. But enjoy the story anyway.

**Summary:** "The cries of an infant for his mother in the dead of the night. A rude wake up call, in the form of his 2 month old son and heir – Draco Icarus Malfoy." A look at how having a new baby in the house is suiting the house of Malfoy, in particular the fatherLucius Malfoy.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing apart from the plot.

Who Said Fatherhood Came Easy?

Crying. Desperate wailing he had heard so many times before on the nights of Voldemort's reign, a mixture of violence, torture, blood, terror, black robes, and unanimous white masks. The cries of an infant for his mother in the dead of the night. A rude wake up call, in the form of his 2 month old son and heir – Draco Icarus Malfoy.

Lucius felt his lip curl; he would have to thank his son's Godfather –Severus Snape – for choosing the name Icarus. Severus had always had a twisted sense of humour. No doubt his son would be teased for having his initials as D.I.M.

Lucius put a hand to his throbbing temple, listening to his son's torturous cries with growing frustration. Wasn't anyone going to stop his cries? Where was Narcissa? She was supposed to be sleeping in the same room as Draco, just so she could be within easy reach of Draco when he was in need of care. And Draco had proved to be constantly in need of care since his premature birth; first in need of surveillance by the Mediwitches till his weak lungs could breathe on their own unaided by magic, then it had been his weak immune system and the constant cries filling the Malfoy Manor. Consequently it had left Narcissa constantly exhausted and worried over the health of their first new born to have survived, and Lucius permanently suffered from a headache.

Lucius winced as Draco's cries rose in pitch, and he briefly mused how Draco's lungs, though weak, could still seem to reach his poorears even with walls and doors in between them. This child would be the death of him; he doubted that even the almighty Dark Lord would be able to stand the noise. Then again that'd beprobably why Voldemort never _had_ children. Smart man.

If possible the cries increased further and resigning himself to his fate, Lucius threw the covers off of him and got to his feet gracefully. Dignified as always, he briefly straightened his bed robes and hair, before sweeping out of his room, towards the nursery, down the hall. He opened the door cautiously and peered in. His eyes immediately landed on Narcissa slumped in the rocking chair by the window, moonlight illuminating her beautiful sleeping face and bringing into clear relief the marks of exhaustion. It was obvious she was not going to wake, even with the awful crying, she was dead to the world.

Lucius sighed silently and entered the room, stopping beside her chair and trying to wake her anyway. Nope she definitely was not waking, Lucius sighed again wearily. Well she did deserve a break he supposed, after all she _had_ been caring for Draco day in and day out. He stood and touched her cheek momentarily, an unguarded show of affection to the woman who he felt the closest thing to love for. He turned, walked to the crib and gazed down at the kicking little bundle of blankets. The cries sounded desperate and fearful. Lucius hesitantly reached out a long manicured hand and pulled the blankets aside to reveal a small fair haired baby no bigger than his forearm. Draco continued his relentless crying. Lucius looked around unsure of what to do. Was he hungry? Was he sick? Was he in pain? Did he need his diaper changed?

If it was a diaper changed the there was absolutely no chance _he,_ Lucius Marcus Malfoy, _The_ Lord Malfoy, was going to wipe someone's ass, even if it _was_ his own heir's.

Lucius looked back down at baby Draco and became alarmed as Draco's scrunched up face started to go blue from lack of oxygen. He gently scooped up the shaking body, holding him to his chest, where Draco could feel his father'ssteady heartbeat and comforting body warmth. Lucius awkwardly soothed Draco's quivering back, crooning and making gentle shushing noises like he had heard Narcissa do so many times before and slowly but surely Draco's cries lessened, finally subsiding to hiccups.  
Guess he was just afraid and in need of some comfort, Lucius mused strangely proud at his success in calming the screaming infant.

Children could be such devils.

Lucius pulled back slightly, to properly look at Draco. Wide teary grey eyes, small aristocratic nose, bowlike mouth, and marble white skin – a promising looking baby, despite his current health. But at this age, Draco was undeniably adorable. Lucius unwillingly felt his defences melt away, under those limpid, innocent and trusting eyes, and he involuntarily felt his mouth quirk into a warm smile. A slow bond seemed to grow between them, the bond of a father and son, protector and defenceless.

Lucius rested Draco in his arms, holding him securely and walked to the window, overlooking the Manor's grounds. Lucius stood in silence aware of the infant staring up at him with trust and awe. To Draco, he must've look like a God, with his long silver hair and well structured face.

"Do you know when you were first born, you were very close to dying?" Lucius asked quietly. Draco blinked. "I'll take that as a no. And did you know what all the other aristocratic families told me?" Draco cocked his head. "They told me to dispose of you. In their eyes you were weak and would prove to be an incompetent heir. By all means you should have died immediately after birth. But you survived. Little Draco, do you know why I kept you?

"It's because when I first saw you I knew you had a strong will and character, one that will take the Malfoy family to greater heights. A very rare quality. One day you will shine so brightly that people will stop just to see you go by." Lucius looked down at Draco, who cooed back at him. "My little Draco, my treasured Draco, it grieves me to know that as you will grow you will loose the innocence you hold now. And no matter how much I try, I will not be able to protect you. I will not always be here to pull the blanket off of you, when you are in need." Lucius sighed. "You have such innocence, that I dare not come too close to you in fear of the darkness in my soul tainting your own. I hope, perhaps foolishly, that you won't turn out like me. I will probably be hard on you to do well, I will probably isolate myself from you and I will probably seem uncaring – but twisted though it may be, you have my love." Lucius held Draco up so they were eye to eye. "Never forget my precious Draco you have your father's love."

In those silent moments, where Lucius looked into Draco's eyes, it seemed for a moment that there was a flicker of understanding even acceptance in those wide eyes. That was before Draco scrunched up his face and let out a wet sneeze directly into Lucius' face. Lucius closed his eyes curving the urge to scream and calmly wiped his face. Draco gurgled reaching out and took hold of his nose, face lit up with a delighted smile.

"Fah!" Draco stated and giggled. Lucius grimaced and tried to make Draco let go of his nose. But to his dismay Draco only held tighter face scrunched up.

"Come on now don't be difficult. Let go of father's nose." Lucius said trying to sound soothing and managed to yank Draco's hand away. Lucius sighed in relief and massaged his red nose. He stopped however as Draco whimpered looking up at him with tearing eyes, looking as if he had been deprived of his favourite play toy. Sweet Merlin! This could not be happening.

"Now that's enough of that noses are not to be played with." Draco lower lip trembled and he sniffed. "You're not going to be happy until you've had a go at this nose will you?" Lucius grumbled. He heaved a sigh and resigning himself to his doom. Making himself comfortable on the floor using his wife's legs to lean on, he settled Draco in his lap. Draco let out a delighted giggle and latched onto his nose again. Lucius glanced at Narcissa's sleeping form, then back at the infant. In a nasal voice he said;

"To think you've reduced a woman called the ice queen and a man known as the Dark Lord's most cruel Death Eater, so. You're really something Draco."

"Gah!"

**A/N: W**ell what did you think? Review if you have anything to say, but please be gentle! Bye then!

Sky Warden


End file.
